Conditioning for tennis
Aerobic Endurance.
A tennis match can easily last one hour or more, which makes it an endurance activity. With poor aerobic fitness will find it difficult to recover between points and is likely to be tired at the end of the match. In reality, both the aerobic and anaerobic energy systems are important in tennis.
Anaerobic Endurance.
During a match, a player may have to generate 300 to 500 bursts of energy, sprinting to get the ball and tapping into the anaerobic energy system to fuel the muscles during each high-intensity effort.
Speed and Agility.
Most of the time, a Tennis player will spend moving short distances from side to side or forward and backwards, and sprinting in all directions. A typical tennis point lasts 3 to 7 seconds and requires a player to change direction several times. Making agility, or the ability to change direction quickly and effectively, are critical component of the game. Being able to start and stop quickly provides more time to get into position and set up for the next ball. Being fast allows a player to get to more balls and set up with more time to prepare.
Strength and Power.
A tennis player must have sufficient muscular strength to handle the forces of the game and be able to play injury free. Players need to be able to used the same muscles over and over, ideally being able to hit the ball with the same amount of force at the end of the match. Strength has to do with how much forces your muscles can generate and power relates to explosiveness, or how quickly you can generate those forces. Upper body and Lower body power are important in tennis to cover the court more efficiently.
Flexibility.
Tennis requires a player to hit the ball from some pretty amazing positions. Any restrictions in flexilibity will limit your movement efficiency and may also restrict how much force your muscles can generate. There are some skills that athletes might not be able to do if they are not flexible enough. Good flexibility prevents injury and saves energy.
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